Science for Sport Podcast

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes back Michael Carolan, a performance coach and subject lead in sport rehabilitation at the University of Salford. With nearly two decades of experience across elite sport, the military, and education, Michael shares a refreshingly honest and deeply practical perspective on what it really means to coach athletes through injury...

In this episode, host Richard Graves sits down with former professional footballer Sam Winnall, who shares his honest reflections on a 15-year career across clubs including Wolves, Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Oxford United, and Burton Albion. Sam opens up about the realities of life as a professional athlete, the highs of Wembley wins and Golden Boots, the lows of injury setbacks...

What do Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James... and astronauts have in common? They’re all using the same training technology, blood flow restriction (BFR). In this episode, host Richard Graves back Dr. Warren Bradley, Chief Science Officer and founder of Hytro, to unpack how BFR is transforming the way athletes train, recover, and even how astronauts prepare for life in space. You’ll learn: What blood...

In this episode, Richard Graves is joined by performance specialist Julia Eyre, a sports scientist and psychologist with a rich background in elite sport. From working with U.S. collegiate athletes to roles with German Olympic federations and the TSG Wieseck Football Academy (a partner of Eintracht Frankfurt), Julia brings a multidimensional approach to athlete development. Founder of Whiteline Pe...

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by Chris Polley, Vice President of Customer Success at Catapult, for a deep-dive into the world of elite sports performance monitoring. With over 55 sports scientists working across 16 countries, Chris shares what he and his team are seeing across top-tier teams in more than 40 sports worldwide. Listeners will learn: The global trends shaping the future of...

In this week’s episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Leicester Tigers’ Head of Performance, Matt Parr, a former professional rugby player turned strength and conditioning expert with experience across both rugby union and league. Matt shares his fascinating journey from the pitch to the performance department, offering valuable insights drawn from his time at L...

What’s it really like behind the scenes of an England Rugby Six Nations campaign? How do you fuel elite athletes to perform at their peak, and recover just as hard? This week, host Richard Graves is joined by the brilliant Dr. James Morehen,lead performance nutritionist for England Rugby and founder of the Performance Nutrition Network. With a career that’s taken him from snowboarding in Canada to...

Join host Richard Graves as he sits down with performance nutrition consultant Tom Coughlin, who brings a decade of elite sports experience working with Olympic athletes, professional rugby teams, and numerous other high-performance individuals. In this enlightening episode, Tom shares his journey from psychology and sports science student to becoming a leading voice in sports nutrition. Discover...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with former Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward, a man who went from teenage prodigy to Grand Final winner, only to have his career cut short by concussion at just 27. In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Stevie opens up about: What it’s really like debuting alongside your childhood heroes The fear and thrill of runn...

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by the remarkable Dr. Kristin Keim – a clinical sports psychologist, former elite cyclist, and passionate advocate for athlete mental health. In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Kristin takes us beyond the buzzwords of “mental toughness” and into the real, nuanced world of clinical sports psychology. From helping...

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Scott Armistead, Athletic Trainer at Seattle Sounders FC, to explore the realities of working at the highest level of football in the US. Born and raised in New Zealand, Scott’s journey has taken him across continents — from youth football in Auckland to the intensity of Major League Soccer. In this candid conversation, S...

In this week's episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes performance coach Michael Fennell, who brings over 22 years of experience in athletics coaching, specialising in long jump and sprints. Michael shares his journey from athlete to coach, including his work with notable figures like Chelsea and England football star Cole Palmer. Michael discusses the importance of...

Join us this week on the Science for Sport podcast as we dive into an exciting conversation with Jacques Groenewald, the Vice President of Engineering at Catapult. In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking Vector 8 system, a revolutionary product that is set to transform athlete monitoring and performance optimisation. Jacques shares his journey from electronics to sports technology, revealin...

Join host Richard Graves in this episode of the Science for Sport podcast as he dives deep into the world of sports performance with the experienced consultant Tom Clough. With over a decade of experience, Tom shares his journey from aspiring athlete to a leading strength and conditioning coach, offering valuable insights that will resonate with both sports scientists and fans alike. In this episo...

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves chats with Sophie Smith-Moore, the England Men’s Pathway Physiotherapist and Disability Cricket Medical Services Lead. In this episode, Sophie takes us on her journey from a fresh graduate to a key player in elite cricket, sharing her insights on the unique challenges faced by fast bowlers and the critical role of data analytics in in...

Ever wondered how elite athletes manage diabetes while pushing their bodies to the limit? In this captivating episode, we dive deep with Dr. Sam Scott, a renowned exercise physiologist and former Head of Research for Team Novo Nordisk - the world's first all-diabetes professional cycling team. Key highlights: Uncover the crucial differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and their unique chall...

Ever wondered what it takes to keep professional cricketers performing at their peak across a grueling season? This week, we dive deep with Jack McCann, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Leicestershire CCC, who shares fascinating insights into the evolution of cricket performance science. From managing international stars like Rehan Ahmed to nurturing academy prospects, Jack reveals the de...

In this fascinating deep-dive, we explore a groundbreaking initiative that's set to revolutionise our understanding of impact forces in youth American football. The Denver Broncos Foundation and Riddell are launching an unprecedented state-wide programme that will generate millions of data points on player impacts, technique, and load management at the secondary school level. But the real story go...

From the dugouts of League Two to the intense pressure of the Premier League, former Luton Town Head of Performance Jared Roberts-Smith takes us behind the scenes of one of football's most remarkable journeys. In this captivating episode, Jared reveals how sports science has revolutionised the beautiful game over his 14-year career, sharing intimate insights into the physical and mental demands of...

In this captivating episode, host Richard Graves sits down with Sam Kotadia, the pioneering sports psychologist supporting Wrexham FC's recent success and a transformative force in athletic mental performance for over two decades. Sam challenges conventional wisdom about positive thinking and mental preparation, offering a revolutionary perspective that turns traditional sports psychology on its h...

From GPS Tracking to Game-Changing Analytics: The Evolution of Rugby Performance Technology Join us for a fascinating conversation with Tom May, former international rugby player and current Head of Global Rugby at Catapult Sports. In this episode, we dive deep into how cutting-edge technology is revolutionising rugby performance analysis and player welfare. Key discussion points include: How adva...

From Elite Athletes to Weekend Warriors: The Science of Sports Nutrition with Dan Richardson Join host Richard Graves as he sits down with sports nutritionist Dan Richardson, who shares his expertise from working with Leeds United Academy and Leicestershire County Cricket. In this eye-opening episode, Dan breaks down the myths and misconceptions around sports nutrition, revealing why your post-wor...

From NFL Kicker to Diabetes Advocate: Brayden Narveson's Inspiring Journey In this captivating episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with NFL kicker Brayden Narveson during Super Bowl week to share an extraordinary story of perseverance and athletic excellence. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during his junior year of high school, Narveson didn't let this life-chan...

Jeff Reinebold: Four Decades of Sports Science, Mentorship, and Saving Athletes’ Futures" What if the key to unlocking peak performance isn’t just data or drills—but care? Join coaching legend Jeff Reinebold—a pioneer across the NFL, CFL, NCAA, and Sky Sports—as he unveils the untold secrets behind football’s evolution. In this episode, Reinebold (coach, broadcaster, and sports science advocate) p...

This week we are unlocking the Secrets of Elite Performance with Dr Peter Tierney! From the high-pressure world of professional rugby and football to cutting-edge performance apparel, Dr Peter Tierney has seen it all. In this episode, we dive deep into what it takes to win at the highest level, exploring the critical lessons from his time with Leinster Rugby’s Heineken Cup-winning squad, the evolv...